1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a molding assembly and, more particularly, to a crown molding assembly including an improved crown molding and means for installing the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is commonly desirable to dress up a junction or intersection between vertical walls and a ceiling. The application of a decorative molding along the intersection of the walls and ceiling covers unsightly, unfinished gaps or defects and provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Primary concerns associated with the application of molding include minimizing labor expenses; striking a balance between types of materials used, material costs, and the ease by which the molding is installed; and the means in which the molding is fastened.
Skilled labor is required to apply trim and molding. However, even through the employment of skilled workers, installation of molding and trim may still be very time consuming and very expensive. There is a need for molding and trim which is relatively easy to install, thus requiring a reduction in installation time and, in turn, a reduction in labor cost. Several means have been devised for promoting the ease of installing molding. For example, the installation of wood molding often involves the application of a series of layers of separate and distinct pieces. Crown molding and baseboard trim alike are both generally applied in two or more layers. In an effort to conserve labor time and expense, it is known to form the various layers of molding into a single piece being of unitary construction, as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,434, issued Aug. 29, 1978 to Lawrence F. Katzin. Katzin discloses a modular baseboard molding which includes a baseboard plank and shoe molding into a cooperatively associated unit allowing for the simultaneous cutting of the same.
In an effort to reduce not only labor costs but material costs as well, various materials have been employed in the construction of molding. Presently, the most common molding is of wood construction. However, wood molding is becoming quite expensive in comparison to synthetic molding. Further, synthetic molding generally requires little if any periodic maintenance in contrast to the periodic maintenance demanded by wood molding. Alternative materials, such as metals and plastics, are often used to fabricate structures representative of wood molding. Unlike wood molding, a problem is encountered with fixing the structures to the intersection of the walls and ceiling whereby substantially no evidence vestiges of the fastening devices are visible. For instance, molding formed of synthetics and metals generally require tacking or gluing. Tacks are generally unsightly and, though glue is for the most part not visible, it can be unreliable over a course of time, losing its adhesive properties and enabling the molding to become detached from the surface to which it is applied.
Various means for attaching molding, be it wood, metal, or synthetic, have been devised. One such fastening which has been contrived to secure molding is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,811, issued Jan. 19, 1983 to William H. Walker et al. Walker et al. discloses a decorative trimming system for installing crown mold, baseboard trim, and the like. The system includes an elongated mounting bracket adapted to be secured along room walls extending about the periphery. Each bracket includes a projecting tongue that extends along its length. Prefabricated corner pieces of molding are provided with grooves extending along their back sides for receiving the tongues projecting from the brackets. This molding system still requires the use of finishing nails which must be set and covered with a painter's putty.
The concealing of molding and trim fasteners altogether is also known to be the subject of prior art patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,957, issued Feb. 17, 1987 to Troy C. Edward, discloses a interior wall trim system for providing a decorative trim at the junction of interior wall partitions or at the junction of walls and ceiling. The system includes a molded vinyl channel shaped cap member for placement along the intersection. The cap members are releasably secured in position by spaced apart retainer plates which are formed with opposed standoff flanges which engage resiliently deflectable flanges of the cap members. Opposing reentrant flanges of the cap members forcibly engage the standoff flanges of the retainer members. A similar molding construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,302,350, issued Feb. 7, 1967 to Donald L. Brown et al. The molding construction includes an attachment member for attaching to the corners of adjoining building partitions. The attachment member includes a hooking protrusion and a snap joint respectively engageable with hook structure and a protrusion of a cover member for retaining the same.
Yet another molding system which facilitates concealing the molding fasteners is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,877, issued Mar. 26, 1991 to Troy C. Edwards. Edwards teaches a decorative wall and ceiling molding assembly for providing a decorative trim at ceiling-wall junctions. The assembly includes a hollow plastic molding having a decorative panel which is hinged to provide an openable and recloseable feature, and means for holding the molding in a closed position. The molding has a flat ceiling contacting surface and a flat wall contacting surface which are fixed to both surfaces by means of fasteners. Upon fixing the trim to both surfaces, the trim is closed and held in the closed position by the holding means to conceal the fasteners and the contacting surfaces.
With the increasing costs of labor and materials, there exists a ongoing need for improvements in molding systems as well as improvements in their installation and/or fastening means. Applicant's instant invention includes two components which are quickly and easily applied to supported surfaces and a third component which cooperatively engages the first two components with minimal effort. Clearly, none of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.